Transparent
by PhoenixKeir
Summary: He may not be a genius, but then again, it doesn't take one to connect the dots.


Well I thought back on it, and I think it was rather obvious, the thing between Shane and Lori! There was no way that everyone could have missed the signs. So I took it from the perspective of our favorite hunter. Because we all know he cares. I also thought, that he would be the type of guy to look down on this kind of thing, just due to his upbringing and speculation on his parents. Set back in Atlanta, at the Quarry.

* * *

If he's entirely honest with himself, Daryl isn't quite sure why it bothers him so much. He doesn't know any of them, doesn't particularly_ care_ for any of them. They're all just a bunch of city-slickers, don't know the first thing about the wilderness, about survival.

It's kind of amusing though, watching them try.

Pathetic, a little bit too, he thinks as he watches a discussion between two of the woman about the best places to set up their tents in the small clearing they have set up camp. Neither of them even notice his presence, which suits him just fine. It's ingrained in him by now, moving undetected.

It does surprise him a bit though, when he nearly walks into one of the other women from the camp, as he moves through the trees. He'd heard her coming from a mile away, banging through the underbrush the way she is, but he had expected it to be one of the men. The women don't generally wander so far from each other, choosing to stay close to the safety of the camp.

It's obvious that she doesn't hear Daryl coming, because she looks startled, her eyes wide and posture terrified, when he deliberately digs his boot into the dirt.

Honestly, it's a miracle that these people have even made it this far.

He shifts his crossbow around to his back, twisting the strap through his fingers. She looks terrified still, and though he has never spoken to her, he's definitely seen her arguing with his brother about something or other. He doesn't doubt that she doesn't even know his name, just recognizes him as Merle's younger brother. It doesn't take a lot of brain to know what exactly she thinks about him, and to be fair, Daryl doesn't hold her in very high esteem either.

From what he's seen, all she seems to do is tell other people what to do. He's pretty sure she's got a kid, too, seen the boy running around a few times. He thinks she should probably be keeping a watch on him, rather than traipsing through the woods like an elephant.

It's not the end of the world or anything.

She looks flushed, her dark hair ruffled and cheeks red. Her clothes are wrinkled and tousled, looking like they had been hastily pulled on.

He may not be a genius, but then again, it doesn't take one to connect the dots.

If he looks at it one way, it doesn't seem quite so ridiculous. Because for one, it is the _damn_ apocalypse, so why not have a good time?

But on the other hand, she does still have a son running around, so would it kill her to take some responsibility? Daryl has always thought people were incredibly selfish and ridiculous, and he has yet to be proved wrong.

Apparently, the woman - Laura, Lauren? - seems to realize just how this looks to Daryl.

"We weren't..." She starts, but trails off, before she tries once more. "Shane and I, we were just... uhh,"

"Knockin' boots?" Daryl suggests dryly, uninterestedly.

She stares, struck by his forwardness.

Well, he's never really been the type of guy to dance around the issue. It's not like he really cares about offending her, or anyone else here, for that matter.

She frowns though, once she regains her bearings. "It's not really any of your business."

Daryl can't help it, he smiles a little bit. It's so amusing how quickly these people rush to defend themselves, as if it matters what other people think. They all seem to be under the impression that he's some dumb redneck, good for hunting and that's about it. They don't recognize him as a real person, having the same mental and emotional depth that they do. It doesn't bother Daryl any, he's been looked down on and called worthless more times than he can count, by much more threatening people.

She misinterprets the reasoning behind his amusement. "I don't need your approval, I don't even know you. What's between me and-"

Only this time Daryl doesn't care to hear it. Doesn't have any qualms about telling her this much.

"I don't need no explanation. I don't care." Daryl says.

If possible, her face flushes even darker. She glares at him. She seems awful confident standing up to him, despite having looked petrified when she had first seen him.

"Just thought you should know," She starts, voice heated.

"Maybe think again, then." Daryl replies. He doesn't wait to see her reaction, just tightens his grip on the strap in his hand and strides past her.

It isn't too long later either, that Daryl meets Rick Grimes. He thinks it must be some form of cruel irony. He laughs a little, but in the end, it's not really all that funny.

Mostly, it bothers him. He kind of wishes he knew why.


End file.
